First off, I apologize to my friends and roleplay partners who've been left hanging. Any desire to cancel old threads is completely understandable.

I've been struggling with a serious health issue the past several months. There was a long period where things would seem to improve only to relapse, delaying things further. All that aside, just wanted to let people know I'm around again and to contact me via PM or Trillian - ironsoldier, if anyone wants to get things going again.

Josey played a mournful tune on her harmonica. There was something so nice about the distinct wail of the small instrument and the way it bounced around the small dressing room she was in. It was just her now. All the little workers had long filed out and no executive dared stick their head in after Josey threatened to give the last one a black eye. So here she sat, playing her harmonica and thinking.

One of the things that attracted her to AFW was the promise of violence. It would be constant, it would be fast, it would be there for the taking to anyone who wanted it. Josey reckoned that she was going to deal out a great measure of it tonight. The Outlaw had been preparing herself. Ever since her disappearance a while ago, people had forgotten about her. She didn't care of what they thought, as long as they recognized that she could still lay an ass whooping on anyone who came her way. Everyone would be reminded tonight.

Josey stood up and placed her harmonica on her desk. It was nearly show time. She had long had on her red and white wrestling outfit, complete with the long dark cape and the pitch black cowboy hat. She walked with purpose to the entrance to the ramp and all of the staff were wise enough not to cross her path. The Outlaw was told whom she was fighting but didn't really worry about it. Whoever she was, she was not as good as Josey.

The chugging rhythm of the strings and the screaming harmonica that portended her arrival blared over the loudspeakers. Josey walked out and was hailed with a warm reception. It felt fun. Things were going to get ugly tonight. She hopped up into the ring and awaited her opponent.

Diana had somewhat become used to the frustrated waiting period she'd have to spend in her room, pacing back and forth, waiting for a knock on her door to signal it was time. It shouldn't have to be like that, she muttered to herself. She came for a fight, not a spectacle. She'd bounce on her toes, swinging her arms out in the space, really getting the blood flowing.

Her opponent was definately the sort she'd need her adrenaline rushing for, to say the least. Josey Wales. In terms of power, Diana had heard the girl was an absolute monster. Herself a strong wrestler, Diana would be aiming to test and stretch Josey every which way, to find out if the rumours were true.

Eventually her time came, being told that her foe had already made her presence, and that all that was left was for the Italian simply to join her. Pacing quickly along backstage to the entrance, already equipped in her signature wrestling attire, essentially underwear, she'd burst through the curtains.

Spoiler:

She'd already earned somewhat of a dislikeable reputation by the crowd, their loud boos mixed in with the occasional wolf whistle filling the air, as the woman renowned for her rough matches made her way to the ring side. Sliding under the ropes, she'd stand quickly, throwing off her arms once more into the open space, as she'd stare with a dark smile at her giant foe, eager to begin.

Upon seeing her opponent's arrival, Josey smiled. That outfit told her that she was nothing more than a cheap bimbo, not looking for anything more than a quick paycheck. Josey rid herself of her cowboy hat and cape in one fell swoop, eliminating all pretenses to ostentation. The Outlaw was a fighter and a brawler and a wrestler and show time was about to be over. Josey had to be ready.

"Howdy." She was glaring at this woman and cracking her knuckles. "Ever been to the hospital before?" Josey spoke in her Texas drawl, i's as long as the horizon and slower than a box tortoise. She was ready for the action, but the action hadn't started yet. There was no need to rush. The Outlaw liked her beatdowns nice and long, so her victims could fully understand the hopelessness of their situations.A long buildup would make the inevitable end that much sweeter.

Smilers. Josey was never a fan of smilers. You could smile after your tenth beer, but that was about it. The bell went off and Josey launched at her foe like a bullet from a sixshooter. The Outlaw bolted across the ring and threw one of her characteristic punches, a straight left aimed towards Diana's midsection.

Diana merely grunted at the greeting. Talk about sticking to your gimmick. She'd bare her teeth at the follow up question though, bringing up her hands and clicking her knuckles. Another cocky giant ripe for a lesson, she thought to herself.

Diana would soon prepare to step forward, hands to her hips, when Josey shot like a bullet, the moment the bell rung. Whilst Diana was a big, muscular woman to say the least, she had a surprising amount of speed to her, and was rarely one to be caught off guard. She almost took it as an insult to the fact Josey would try it right in front of her, at the first chance to boot.

That jab came in fast and quick, and Diana immediately had a counter in mind. Stepping to the left side of Josey, she'd hold out her own right arm, intending to hook it up and under the extending punch. If all went well, she'd quickly pull it behind the cow-girl, cranking it somewat, intent on showing her she shouldn't get overconfident with the Italian amazon!

There were some downsides to being a brawler. Straight-on, no mercy attacks usually did quite a lot of damage to anyone foolish enough to stand in the way of them, but they were usually painfully easy to get out of the way of or counter. Not only did Diana easily dodge the Outlaw's straightforward punch, but had successfully managed to counter it.

"Gah!" came out of her mouth in one sharp cry. Her blunt approach showed its obvious drawbacks and her arm was cranked pretty badly. Josey was in a tight spot but she had been in plenty of tight spots before. The cowgirl was far too experienced to be truly worried especially this early on, but she knew a measure of Diana's strength and reaction time now.

Josey did what Josey did best. Sure, one arm was locked up and functionally useless to her, but she had another arm free. And that arm was now swinging towards Diana haphazardly as Josey pulled herself back. The punch combined with the jerking would surely break her free, she thought.

Already pulling the bigger woman into a dominant hold, Diana was somewhat annoyed. She had hoped for a powerhouse fighter yes, but one that planned her move rather than simply rushed in. Diana was the methodical sort, and blind rushes like the one Josey had just employed would be caught out by her any day of the week. Or so she boasted, anyway.

Cranking the arm hard but briefly, Diana suspected the typical elbow back counter would come, so simply opted to shove the cowgirl away, releasing her arm and bringing the two back to a standing posture.

From there, she'd raise her hands, intent on locking up with Josey face to face.

Josey had been given a wide berth of the ring and took it. She was free now and took a few steps back. Diana might have been too methodical for another blind attack again so Josey would have to pick another option. Unfortunately for the Outlaw she didn't have many other outlets for her nearly unstoppable lust for violence.

Then Diana gave her an out. Her arms were up and she clearly wanted a lock-up. The cowgirl was beyond happy to accept. Her main strength was, well, her strength and she always loved a chance to flex a little bit. While the lovely Italian woman looked quite strong, now was no time to waver.

She gladly accepted the lockup and began pushing for all she was worth.

Josey had never had an easy life. Growing up on a ranch, a girl had to be hardened. Many hours out in the Texas heat turned her hide into leather and throwing around hay bales made her strong. The Outlaw could take it, no matter what was thrown her way. Sure, the power rippling through the ring was palpable, but Josey was sure she could take this woman.

She inched back. It was almost imperceptible to all the folks in the crowd, but Diana would have noticed. If the beautiful Italian woman thought she had gained some ground, she was wrong. Dead wrong. The cowgirl was gathering her strength for one mighty push to send her opponent on her heels.

Given the calibre of women Diana went for in her many scuffles, it was actually fairly uncommon for the Italian to have the outright power advantage. After all, some of these women, Josey included, were absolute monsters in size, and had the strength to match. But where as her foes had raw power, Diana had focused strength. She may have not been able to push Josey, but there was no way given her bracing that she were to give ground either. Soon after though, she decided to try for a switch up rather than test her brace.

Aiming to twist her hands free from the lock, Diana's arms would try to release, aiming to shoot low and hook around the Cowgirls waist as she'd lean forward, intent on setting her up for a suplex of forms.